Japan weather: Why is Japan being battered by so many natural disasters this year?

Japan weather: Why is Japan being battered by so many natural disasters this year?

JAPAN is currently being hit by strong winds and heavy rain while Typhoon Shanshan is currently rampaging across the Pacific Ocean. But why is Japan being battered by so many natural disasters this year?

Related articles

The Shinmoedake volcano, which is famous for its role in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice, also erupted twice.

The most recent eruption in June shot ash more than 500 feet into the air on the main island of Kyushu.

More than 200 people also died as heavy rain pounded Japan in July.

Why is Japan being battered by so many natural disasters this year?

apan weather: People in Japan have faced a number of natural disasters this year (Image: GETTY)

Japan has been rocked by an earthquake in June (Image: GETTY)

Bill McGuire, professor of Geophysical and Climate Hazards at UCL, explained climate change could be one reason why there is an increase in natural disasters this year.

He told Express.co.uk: “Japan sits astride a very complex union of tectonic plates, so there are lots of volcanoes and onshore and offshore earthquake faults that can cause massive earthquakes and - in the latter case tsunamis.

“Much of the terrain is mountainous, so that very heavy rains can quickly trigger flash floods, mudflows and landslides.

“Climate change is causing a marked increase in extreme events, and probably had a hand in the recent floods.

“The high temperatures are just part of a near-global heatwave, which is undoubtedly rooted in global warming. Climate change is also implicated in the formation of more powerful and wetter typhoons, which frequently strike the country.”

This week, Japan has been threatened with more bad weather as Typhoon Shanshan formed in the Pacific Ocean.

However, the storm is no longer a “strong typhoon’ due to the wind slowing down after it mostly avoided Tokyo and moved slowly away north off the Pacific coast.

The storm is expected to move east and lose even more strength.

Strong winds are expected in northeastern coastal areas, as well as stormy conditions on Friday.

The Japan Meteorological Agency is now warning heavy rain could also be on its way in the eastern and northeastern regions.